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The purveyors of Oasis wanted to create a space where women could work out together in a pressure-free and rewarding environment. By outfitting the health club with rowers, step mills, and ellipticals, as well as a daycare, spacious locker rooms, and an infrared sauna, they brought that space to fruition. They also stocked it with a team of fitness experts, many with degrees and certifications in the field. That crew fosters a positive attitude while leading classes such as Pilates and Zumba, or personal-training sessions that can prep members for long-distance runs away from donuts. Events such as boot camps and self-defense courses are designed specifically with women in mind, while their nutrition programs round out plans for total fitness.

Off Broadway Pub's owner, Rick Dahms, always knew his hot wings were something special. What he didn't realize, was that everyone else knew it as well. This became evident when his jumbo hot wings won 670 The Score's listener's best wing award in 2010, taking the top slot largely due to the heaping portions he serves and the amount of meat on the bone. His kitchen doesn't skimp on the restaurant's other entrees either, which range from hearty hamburgers and half racks of ribs to build-your-own pizzas. Two flat screen televisions play the city's game over Off Broadway's lengthy bar, where bartenders pour shots of Jaegermeister, draft beers, and mixed drinks.

Owner Tom Kampschroeder, a wine professional with more than 29 years of experience, shares his grapey know-how with most any guest who walks through Salt Creek Wine Bar's doors. Sample wines-of-a-feather with the wine flight menu, or check out the beers and spirits menu. Wash down washes of tingly wash with Italian delights including artisan cheese flights, pizza, and seafood.

Ryans Public House makes meals merry with Irish and American comfort fare and more than 70 beers and whiskeys from around the globe. Guests can devour a little bit of Celtic culture with an appetizer of corned-beef bites—mini open-faced sandwiches with swiss cheese and horseradish-cream sauce ($6.95)—or a whole lot with an authentic fish 'n' chips dinner ($9.75). A hearty shepherd's pie ($8.95) sates meat-and-potatoes cravings, and fish tacos hook diners with a double-lure of Mexican street corn and avocado-cream sauce ($9.95). The Chiappetta burger brings the bounty of two meals, sandwiching bacon, grilled onions, and a half-pound of Angus beef between two regulation-size grilled-cheese sandwiches ($9.95).

Wine and Canvas sends local artists to restaurants and comfortable bars to guide students through featured paintings from the studio's monthly calendar. As instructors offer step-by-step instructions, pupils mimic the motions of their brush to re-create scenes inspired by nature, Impressionist masters, and alcoholic libations themselves. After the night has ended, students carry their finished masterpieces home to hang proudly on their walls or avant-gardely on their fish tanks.

Stephanie King-Myers and Nancy Bigley founded Bottle & Bottega as a fun, artistic space where guests could, as King-Myers phrases it on their website, “feel like they’re having a party in their living room.” Established in 2009, the guided painting emporium has already expanded to six main locations in two states.
La Grange owners and dedicated community members Paul and Meg Lefaivre were ecstatic to bring Bottle & Bottega to their neighborhood. The Lefaivres, along with a slate of local artists, encourage participants of any artistic level to unleash their creativity onto the canvas, creating their own versions of famous paintings that they can hang in their living rooms or over their bathroom mirrors in an attempt to be famous themselves.

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Years after releasing two of the weirdest albums of the ‘90s, the Japanese duo is back with an impressive concept album about—what else?—a haunted hotel.
Maybe it’s a little strange that, more than 15 years after releasing their last album, Cibo Matto are suddenly back with brand-new material.
But then again, maybe it’s not. After all, the Japanese funk/pop/hip-hop duo is nothing if not unpredictable. Their early career was a near-perfect crystallization of the ‘90s alternative scene. After hitting their stride with a cult-classic debut (Viva! La Woman) released with the help of friends Beck and the Beastie Boys, they collaborated with French director Michel Gondry to make the head-spinning music video for “Sugar Water.”
During an amicable hiatus, Miho Hatori and Yuko Honda expanded their résumés in surprising ways, with Hatori guesting on a Gorillaz album and Honda co-producing records for Yoko Ono and Martha Wainwright. The duo has since reunited to write and self-produce Hotel Valentine, an album that trades quirky ruminations on food for a sophisticated narrative about a haunted hotel.
The album’s concept is rewarding, if not a little convoluted. Early track “Déjà Vu” bounces around in full-on party mode until arriving at a sweetly delivered chorus that’s hard not to snap your fingers to. But against this bubbly backdrop, the protagonist wonders, “Is this real, or is it a dream?” By the title track, he’s searching for a ghost in dark hallways to the tune of bongo beats and whispered saxophone phrases.
Hotel Valentine’s strangely conceptual approach adds to the intrigue of Cibo Matto’s not-really-a-reunion tour. When they hit the stage at Lincoln Hall, it’ll be hard to know what to expect from these two. Not that we ever really did. (Thursday, March 6, at 9 p.m. $20; buy tickets here)
Listen to “Déjà Vu” from their new album, Hotel Valentine.
Photo courtesy of Cibo Matto

Although the holidays are touted as the season of selfless giving, the ready availability of eggnog and mulled wine encourage the indulgence of more earthly pleasures. We found nine Chicago events that embrace the more depraved spirit of the season.
For the Boozehounds
SantaCon at Congress Plaza Hotel
If a run-of-the-mill pub crawl doesn’t put you in a jolly enough spirit, then strap on a red velvet suit for a journey that Kris Kringle wishes he could take each Christmas Eve. From noon onward, hundreds of Santa clones will stumble merrily to six bars—including Bar Below and Celtic Crossing—with photo stops in front of the Art Institute and Millennium Park’s Cloud Gate. (520 S. Michigan Avenue. Saturday, December 7, at noon. Admission: $10 in advance/$15 at door.)
15th Annual Christmas & Winter Beer Tasting at Delilah’s
With probably the largest whiskey selection in Chicago (more than 600 varieties at last count), it’s no wonder people flock to this Lincoln Park punk bar to warm up. Delilah’s holiday party, however, spotlights speciality beer—including winter vintages from Anchor and King & Barnes as well as holiday brews from Three Floyds and Lakefront breweries. (2771 N. Lincoln Avenue. Saturday, December 7, from noon to 5 p.m. Admission: $20 for 20 tasting tickets.)
"Happy Holly-daze: A Drinking Game Performance" at Cornservatory
Improv theater Corn Productions is known for hosting rowdy late-night BYOB drinking games, so it’s no surprise to see them mixing alcohol, wit, and seasonal debauchery. You bring your poison of choice, and their team of comedy gladiators takes care of the rest. (4210 N. Lincoln Avenue. 8 p.m. Thursday–Saturday from December 12 to December 28. Tickets: $7 on Thursday; $15 on Friday and Saturday.)
For the Theater-goers Who Don’t Blush
"Old Jews Telling Jokes" at Royal George Theatre
It’s not quite a holiday show, but if you’re missing your zaide’s wicked sense of humor this Hanukkah, then this five-actor revue just might fill the void. But be warned: creators Peter Gethers and Daniel Okrent promise to reinvent the classic jokes, so don’t roll your eyes until you hear the punchline. (641 N. Halsted Street. Through February 16; view the full schedule. Tickets: starting at $45.)
"A Sack Full of Coal" at Gorilla Tango Theatre
Though this Bucktown theater is mostly known for mixing burlesque with geek-culture satire, A Sack Full of Coal leans more heavily on the satire, mocking the holiday season’s mix of good will and consumerism. The show also shines a spotlight on the often-overlooked Christmas demon Krampus, who is said to punish naughty children by spiriting them away in a burlap sack. (1919 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Every Saturday at 7:30 p.m. through December 14. Tickets: $15.)
For the Audience Members Who’d Rather Participate
Live Band Karaoke at Schubas
Buying multiple craft brews won’t just soften your inhibitions for holiday-themed live band karaoke—it will also keep kids warm this winter. Proceeds from the bar go directly to Coat Angels, a nonprofit that donates warm outerwear to children from low-income homes. (3159 N. Southport Avenue. Wednesday, December 18, at 8 p.m. Admission: free.)
"Christmas Bingo: It's a Ho-Ho-Holy Night" at Royal George Theatre
The "sisters" behind Late Night Catechism put their own spin on the history of Christmas with an interactive lesson. The audience plays along with bingo cards for the chance to win prizes and (hopefully) not be shamed in front of the entire class. (1641 N. Halsted St. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. through January 5. Tickets: $38.95.)
For the Truly Debauched
"A John Waters Christmas" at City Winery
If the holiday season ramps up your desire for debaucherous camp, then you owe it to yourself to see the King of Filth hold court during a smutty, Christmas-themed one-man monologue. With the noble goal of putting “X back into X-mas,” the legendary filmmaker and author tackles subversive topics ranging from perverted gifts to holiday horror stories. (1200 W. Randolph Street. Saturday, December 1, at 8 p.m. Tickets: starting at $65.)
Vaudezilla Craft Fair at Vaudezilla Studio
Burlesque troupe Vaudezilla puts a brassy spin on traditional craft fairs with a showgirl-themed array of vintage and handmade pin-up crafts and clothing. Decadent sweets from Three Moms Bakery will be on display among the assortment of lingerie and bombshell jewelry from glamorous vendors such as Annie’s Red Hots and Acidic Housewife. (3614 W. Belmont Avenue. December 21. Admission: Free.)
Image courtesy of SantaCon

Detective Partner Hero Villain
Where: Strawdog Theatre Company, Hugen Hall | 3829 N. Broadway, 2nd Floor
When: 8 p.m.; the show runs through December 15
How Much: $15 for adults; $8 for industry members; $5 for kids; buy tickets here
Since stories such as Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns first imposed gritty realism on the whiz-bang world of comics, we’ve been fascinated with superheroes for whom invincibility and angst go hand in hand. Such is the case with The Fantastic Phenomenon, the crime fighter at the center of Brett Neveu’s Detective Partner Hero Villain. Making its world premiere under the direction of The Inconvenience vet and Jackalope Theatre Company cofounder Gus Menary, the show explores the intersections of faith and mortality in a world where even villainy isn’t always black and white. Performances unfold in the intimate confines of Hugen Hall, the company’s 50-seat cabaret space that doubles as a working bar.
Movieoke Fifth Anniversary
Where: The Whistler | 2421 N. Milwaukee Ave.
When: 9 p.m.
How Much: Free
Don Corleone’s unrefuseable offer. Bender’s meltdown at the first meeting of the Breakfast Club. Tyler Durden’s rules for Fight Club. Movie scenes come and go, but some live on, forever quoted by cinephiles and freshman-year roommates alike. For the past five years, the folks at Movieoke have presided over a public celebration of this phenomenon, encouraging audience member to grab the mic, queue up one of more than 350 iconic scene, and belt out their best rendition. Tonight, celebrate their fifth birthday by dialing up a scene of your own or perhaps offering a toast with one of The Whistler’s meticulously crafted cocktails. Its featured drink is currently the Lightning Swords of Death, a muscular blend of Malört and Smith & Cross Jamaica Rum accented with apricot liqueur, almond-y Orgeat syrup, and a splash of lime.
Chicago Chamber Musicians’ First Monday
Where: Chicago Cultural Center | 78 E. Washington St.
When: 12:15 p.m.
How Much: Free
Eating at your desk is for squares. It’s time to restore the lunch break to its bygone glory. Why not start with an midday jaunt to the Chicago Cultural Center, where the Chicago Chamber Musicians are tuning up for their monthly First Monday concert? Beneath the stained-glass dome of Preston Bradley Hall, the ensemble will embrace the winter winds with a moody slate of pieces (Benjamin Britten’s Nocturnal After John Dowland, Roberto Sierra’s Primera Cronica del Descubrimiento, and David Leisner’s Extremes) that play up the guitar and flute talents of the visiting Cavatina Duo. If you can’t make it to the Cultural Center, don’t fret—every First Monday concert is broadcast live on WFMT (98.7 FM).
Photo courtesy of Strawdog Theatre Company.